For the May meeting, Commissioner Tingerthal credited Agency legislative staff and advocates for a successful year at the capitol. She also gave an update on the status of federal funding for the coming year. The board approved a bond sale for the first project to benefit from funding from the Housing Infrastructure Bonds passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2012. And lastly, the board and staff talked through several changes in homeownership programs.

In mid-April, the Obama administration released its 2014 budget. MHP reported that while the budget was focused solely on renewing, rather than creating, affordable housing, we were nonetheless pleased that the administration recognized the need, for the most part, to keep families in stable housing. Unfortunately, the House Committee on Appropriations recently took a very different route, one that could lead to severe housing shortages and homelessness across the country.

MHP has surveyed the latest tools and articles to locate those that might be of interest to MHP Connect readers. This month's resources include an annual report of housing affordability among the working class, a guide to viewing state policy with a child-centered lens, recommendations for improving access to veteran supportive housing, and a CDC report that shows lower-income children are at a higher risk of high blood lead levels.